Results 801-820 of 2,078 for speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2023: Order for Second Stage (2 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (2 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I commend the work the Minister has done in the Department of Justice and the work done by the Minister, Deputy McEntee. It seems no time since this was announced, in Government terms at least, and now here we are.We are commencing with the Bill and I really welcome that. There is no doubt that the family court and family proceedings have their own unique flavour and unique province. One is...

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (2 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (2 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Just before the Senator begins and before they leave, I welcome the pupils from St. Farnan's Post Primary School, Prosperous, County Kildare, and I thank them for coming to the Seanad. I will give latitude on the time.

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (2 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (2 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (1 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank Senator Keogan for taking the Chair and allowing me to contribute. The Minister of State's personal response on this issue and her work in this area have been extraordinary. I am very grateful to her and am a great admirer of her commitment and the compassion she shows in every interview to which I have listened, as well as in how she responded in the Dáil. An important point...

Seanad: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (1 Feb 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Before we go to Senator Conway, I welcome the group in the Gallery from St. Christopher's Services, including both users and staff members, who are visiting with Deputy Flaherty. They are all very welcome and I thank them for joining us.

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I am hesitant about what I am going to say. I have checked and double-checked my thinking on it to make sure I am accurate. While I have great sympathy for the points made by Senators Warfield and Higgins, I believe the amendment is about substituting the 26 weeks for one week in the context of ceasing employment. I note the Minister nodding, so it must be right. If I end my employment...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I said I have sympathy for it.

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: The provision of section 6 that provides for someone who is residing in the same household as the employee in question and who requires serious medical care or support is broad enough to encompass anything suggested in this amendment if this situation arose. If someone is coming out of hospital, to use the Senator's example, the term "resides" is loose enough to encompass these categories...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: We are in danger of being overly compassionate here. We need to provide certainty for employers. If we are too broad in the provisions, we will end up with a situation whereby any person could, at any time, seek to avail a protected category of leave - that is the entitlement we are providing for here - in respect of any other person. That would leave employers in a precarious situation...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: This could be achieved by clarifying that it is sufficient for a medical practitioner or a person of medical standing related to the individual for whom the care is required to state, without disclosing any private information in respect of the individual, that a level of care consistent with the Bill is required.Can that be construed? A medical certificate has a specific meaning in all of...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: This could be done by a pro formaunder a statutory instrument, similar to the likes of the temporary agency worker or the organisation and working time regulations. There are set forms that would hit the standard that is required. There is no reason why that could not be done by a statutory instrument afterward.

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I will support the Minister’s amendment. However, I would like to raise some of the concerns that have been raised by Women’s Aid in respect of the non-paid element. If you require domestic violence leave, you are at a particularly vulnerable and precarious time of your life. To oblige a situation whereby an individual is minus their income, as well as everything else, brings...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Am I on amendment No. 8? Am I too soon? I apologise. I will rise again.

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I am in agreement with much of what Senator Higgins is saying about the peculiarity of the criteria when making regulations. In a way, providing domestic violence leave is another step forward for us as a nation in saying this is not tolerable. Creating a set of circumstances whereby we will provide it or limit it depending on the economy, does not send out the right message. That is not...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Tusla has a short guide for parents arriving into Ireland. It answers the question, "Can I leave a baby home alone?" with, "No, not even for a few minutes." It states that a young child should never be left at home alone, not even for a short time. On the question of leaving an older child at home alone, the guide states that it is recommended that children under the age of 14 should not...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: At 10.30 tomorrow.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Disability Services: Discussion (31 Jan 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Yes. My apologies. I am joining from my office because I am flying off to another meeting after speaking, but I will read today's transcript to ensure that I pick up everything that is needed. I thank the witnesses for attending. I would like to say I am surprised by what they have shared, but I am not. I am horrified time and again by the number of children who are utterly let down in...